FLOG! Entries - October 2010

Daily OCD: 10/29/10

mike

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "...[A] slobbery-gorge-mongous new Fantagraphics coffee table crusher and consumer-seducing guide to celluloid anarchy... Edited by VHS junkies, one-time punk record store owner and movie house curator Zack Carlson and Vulcan Video tastemaker Bryan Connolly, Destroy All Movies!!! is a $35 pink-splattered mind-bomb of enthusiastic but not uncritical assessment of high quality films loyal to the cause... and annoying to the cause... The eagle-eyed authors spent thousands of hours assimilating their assessments by staking camp at Seattle’s own utterly awesome Scarecrow Video. It shows in as much knowledge as passion for the material. [...] Have sushi and don’t pay for it, but buy this book." – Chris Estey, The KEXP Blog

• Review: Kevin Schulke looks at the two volumes contained in the Complete Peanuts 1975-1978 Box Set

• Plug: "Every few months like clockwork, I’m guaranteed that a delightfully fun read will land on my doorstep, for that is what the periodic arrival of Charles Schulz’s masterpiece has become. We’re now up to The Complete Peanuts: 1977-1978, which gives us weeks of strips about jogging and a few references to disco… Including a polyester-suited beagle. We’re now almost 30 years into Peanuts' 50-year run, and if you haven’t picked up any of these volumes yet, rectify that grievous oversight." – Ken Plume, FRED Entertainment

• Survey: Johnny Ryan is among the personages that Vice polls for their "favorite fright films"

Lunchtime at the Donner Diner

mike

In the spirit of Halloween, Jim Blanchard presents a newly-reworked version of "Donner Diner" featuring his inks over 1993 pencils by James Sturm, R. Sikoryak, Jason Lutes and Jim Woodring. Yum!

Ben Catmull letterpress prints

mike

Ben Catmull has produced a series of beautiful debossed letterpress prints, which are now available for sale on Etsy at very reasonable prices. Ben also told us at APE that he's working away on the eagerly-awaited Monster Parade #2.

Jon Vermilyea's Strange Tales M.O.D.O.K.

mike

Jon Vermilyea doing a M.O.D.O.K. story?? That's the cherry on top of the Strange Tales II #2 sundae. Via Comics Alliance, who have the first page of each story in the issue.

Richard Sala's complete Unmasked

mike

Richard Sala has posted his final "Unmasked" Halloween portrait, so now you can browse the entire spooky set! He's collected them into groups on Flickr — group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4 — and you can also see them individually on his Here Lies Richard Sala blog. Nobody does the creepy monster faces like Richard!

Weekend Webcomics for 10/29/10: DeStefano & Weissman

mike

Our weekly strips from the Steves:

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Monday's Strip by Stephen DeStefano (view larger)

Originally run as an experiment on Stephen's blog starting in 2008, Monday's Strip is re-presented here.

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Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman (view at original size):

Bill Schelly & Frank Stack at Comic-Con 2011

mike

We're happy to learn from various sources that comics historian Bill Schelly (Man of Rock) and underground legend Frank Stack (The New Adventures of Jesus) are among the first round of Special Guests announced for Comic-Con International 2011. Comic-Con passes go on sale on Monday and you know how they sell out faster every year...

Editors Notes: Kim Thompson on Toys in the Basement

kimt

[In this first of what will hopefully be a recurring series of Editors Notes posts, Kim Thompson interviews himself (in a format he's dubbed "AutoChat") on the subject of Fantagraphics' first Franco-Belgian kids' comic release, coming to a comics shop near you later in November. – Ed.]

This is your first Blanquet book. Why pick this one?

Honestly, it kind of dropped in my lap out of nowhere. I read it, I liked it, and I thought "Why not?" I've long wanted do publish a Blanquet book - we've published short stories of his in Zero Zero and Blab!...

This one is kind of outside his usual mode, though. I mean... a kids' comic? This is a guy known for body horror that makes David Cronenberg look like Walt Disney.

There's elements of that even in Toys in the Basement, but yes, that's true. What's even weirder is that the other long-form Blanquet book that's been translated into English is another more-or-less all-ages story, in Dungeon Monstres Vol. 2: The Dark Lord. The thing is, most of Blanquet's more Blanquet-y work in France has been published in these odd formats, little boutique presentations, none of which I think would really survive very well in the American book market. But actually that might end soon. I've been in contact with Blanquet's main French publisher, Cornélius, and they're talking about doing a sizeable omnibus collection that would collect some of those smaller books and other material and basically create a nice big sampler of Blanquet — something I could sell to Barnes & Noble. I told him I'm in!

Toys in the Basement is also apparently the first in a "line" of sorts...?

Yeah, my all-ages Franco-Belgian comics series. Again, I sort of backed into it. I'd decided to publish Blanquet's book, and then I was offered David B.'s Le roi rose, which we're publishing at The Littlest Pirate King, and then I figured, why not make an official series of it? Geometrically speaking, if you've got two points, you've got a line. So I asked Jacob Covey to come up with some overarching design, I wrote a little historical essay putting the whole Franco-Belgian kids' comics thing in perspective which we'll run in the back of each, and I've started buying up other material for it.

Will it be contemporary like these two, classic, or...?

The next two will be classic 1960s work, Tillieux and Macherot, but I plan to hop around and pick and choose from the entire last 50 years. I've always loved the Franco-Belgian kids comics: I grew up with them, and even though this may color my feelings somewhat, I firmly believe that was, and is, one of the true pinnacles of comics, absolutely on a par with Carl Barks or Walt Kelly.

Wouldn't the two Trondheim McConey books you did have fit into this line?

Sure, although the series veered into a bit more of adult sensibility in the later volumes. I might yet go back and do a few more of those, as a matter of fact.

Aside from Tintin and Asterix, and a few things from First Second, there really isn't that much being published in the U.S.

In some ways it's a tough genre to sell. It killed Catalan Comics back in the 1980s when they tried to expand their adult European graphic novels into a kids' line, Comcat, and if you remember Fantasy Flight, which published among other things a Franquin Spirou book which I translated, that was a noble disaster. But the material is so great; maybe the American readership is finally ready for it. NBM, who has dabbled in it themselves from time to time, is re-launching The Smurfs, for instance. The movie looks like it'll be an abomination, but if it gets people reading those classic albums again, that's good. (The Smurf King is one of the ten greatest European comics albums ever, seriously.) There's actually an outfit in the United Kingdom called Cinebook that's been doing a lot of work in the genre, including at least three stone classics, Lucky Luke, Blake and Mortimer, and Valerian, and a lot of solid other work like Iznogoud, Yoko Tsuno, and Boule et Bill (which they've re-dubbed Billy and Buddy, apparently in inadvertent tribute to Herman Melville). Those books do sell in the U.S., you can buy them through Last Gasp or on Amazon.com — they're nicely done, and really inexpensive, too. Seriously, any fan owes it to him- or herself to pick up a Lucky Luke and a Blake and Mortimer.

Aren't these AutoChats supposed to be promoting your books?

Well, yeah. I get carried away with the Team Comics spirit sometimes. Anyway, Toys in the Basement is a huge amount of fun, like everything Blanquet touches it's spectacularly drawn, it's one of the few books we've put out that's both totally kid safe and thoroughly entertaining for adults... I had a blast working on it. Buy it.

Unlovable: The Complete Collection by Esther Pearl Watson - Previews, Pre-Order

mike

Unlovable: The Complete Collection
by Esther Pearl Watson

two hardcover volumes in custom slipcase, 832 pages, two-color, 5.75" x 5.75" • $39.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-397-2

Ships in: November 2010 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now

Loosely based on a teenager’s diary from the 1980s found in a gas-station bathroom, Unlovable is the remarkable story of Tammy Pierce, as filtered through the pen and brush of Los Angeles artist Esther Pearl Watson. This boxed set collects the complete, acclaimed two-volume saga of Tammy’s sophomore year of high school in 1989.

Tammy has built a devoted following over the last several years in the pages of BUST magazine, where Unlovable continues to be serialized on the magazine’s back page, and this beautifully produced, slipcased collection features all 832 pages of her sometimes ordinary, sometimes humiliating, often poignant and always hilarious exploits. Her hopes, dreams, agonies and defeats are brought to vivid, comedic life by Watson’s lovingly grotesque drawings, filled with all the eighties essentials — too much mascara, leg warmers with heels and huge hair, etc. — as well as timeless teen concerns like acne, dandruff, and the opposite sex (or same sex, in some cases). Unlovable addresses the mysteries of adolescence through Tammy’s naivete; girls and women in particular will find much that resonates, but men will also relate to Unlovable’s universal humor and wide cast of characters. Tammy’s life isn’t pretty, but it is endlessly charming and hilarious.

This complete edition is handsomely packaged in a specially designed, sturdy slipcase, making it an ideal gift item.

Download exclusive PDF excerpts: 20 pages of Vol. 1 (2.6 MB) and 20 pages of Vol. 2 (3 MB).

Video & Photo Slideshow Preview (view in new window):

Be Mean! Fast Forward - and Destroy All Movies!!!

mike

Seattle cartoonist Marc Palm works at the venerable Scarecrow Video here in town and designed & illustrated this great poster for when the book signing/film screening/general craziness tour for Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film makes its stop there on Friday, November 12. "Be Mean! Fast Forward" is a little slice of genius. Marc's been a great help and a great supporter of the book — thanks Marc!

Daily OCD: 10/27-28/10

mike

Another two-day Online Commentary & Diversions (running a little off schedule, sorry):

• Review: "Hollywood is probably the most likely to misrepresent any culture, but their casting of punks as Neolithic, abusive, drug addicts with candy-colored hair and an inexplicable amount of chains is far too amusing to turn away from. [Destroy All Movies!!!] editors Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly seem to have noticed this trend, and their commentary about each of these films borders on hilarious at several points. [...] In the end, you get both a compendium of thoughtful ruminations on punk culture and a hilarious collection of movie missteps..." – Thorin Klosowski, Denver Westword

• Review: "[Jason] is without immediate peer, and perhaps the closest I can get to him is Jim Jarmusch, the indie film director... Werewolves of Montpellier is less about the grand sweep of its pseudo-horror set-up (which is utterly demolished by a delicious final page denouement), and more about its mundane aspects, which resonate further than the book's forty-odd pages. ★★★★ [out of 5]" – Michael Leader, Den of Geek

• Review: ‎"...Blake Bell has crafted an excellent look at one of comics' most underappreciated creators: compelling, well paced and entertaining. [...] Bell kept Fire & Water moving at an excellent pace, never dwelling too long on any details but giving us Everett's life in relation to his comic career. And that's the key: Bell is a comic fan and knows his audience is as well so that's the focus. [...] While the tale of Everett's life held my attention the art is the real star. Covering everything from early doodles to his last published page we get to see thirty plus years of material. [...] The fit and finish for Fire & Water is exceptional. A heavy matt paper is used that really shows off the material and gives it an almost period feel. The size is perfect for admiring the art and is easy to read; a new perfect package. I can't get enough of the dust jacket image and its design is stunning: a real eye catcher. At $40 it's a great value." – Scott VanderPloeg, Comic Book Daily

• Review: At The Hooded Utilitarian, Noah Berlatsky's story-by-story examination of Moto Hagio's A Drunken Dream and Other Stories moves on to "Iguana Girl"

• Review: Sean T. Collins's "Love and Rocktober" review series at Attentiondeficitdisorderly moves on to Gilbert Hernandez's oeuvre, starting with Heartbreak Soup: "Whether in terms of family, sexuality, physicality, or deformity, biology is destiny for the people of Palomar... And although biology is obviously among Beto's primary concerns, destiny is the operative word. I don't think the Palomarians have the ability to escape the way the Locas do. Not all of them need to escape, mind you — there's a lot of really warm and adorable and hilarious and awesome stuff going down in Palomar — but whatever walks alongside them in their lives is gonna walk alongside them till the very end."

• List: At Robot 6, guest contributor Van Jensen names Josh Simmons's House as one of his "six favorite horror comics & movies" (and, by reduction, one of his three favorite horror comics): "Simmons uses no words through the entire story, but his real accomplishment is utilizing the design of the pages to deliver an increasingly claustrophobic, disorienting and terrifying story."

• Plug: At Robot 6, Sean T. Collins highlights our duo of creepy all-ages releases, David B.'s The Littlest Pirate King and Stéphane Blanquet's Toys in the Basement

• Interview: The Daily Cross Hatch's Brian Heater concludes his 3-part chat with Drew Weing: "What’s funny is, I’ve got Google Alerts for my name, so if somebody says it on the Internet, I show up like Beetlejuice. I click on it, like, 'ooh, this guy just dissed me.'" [Hi, Drew.]

• Analysis: At Comics Comics, Timothy Hodler compares the reproduction/restoration style of Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s with another, similar book which also came out recently, also noting that "Greg Sadowski’s [text] is preferable by a wide margin." (There's plenty of discussion in the comments, and from Alan David Doane at Comic Book Galaxy.)

More Strange Tales: Jaime Hernandez, Paul Hornschemeier

mike

The previews for Marvel's Strange Tales II #2 are popping up all over the place. The Beat has Jaime Hernandez's lovelorn Space Phantom, while Robot 6 features Paul Hornschemeier's battling doppelgänger Colossi.

Preview The Littlest Pirate King by David B. at Robot 6

mike

Robot 6 shares an exclusive 7-page sneak peek at The Littlest Pirate King, the new all-ages undead-pirates-meet-baby story from David B.!

Photos: Rip M.D. signing at Borders in Glendale

mike

At top, left to right, Rip M.D. creative team Mike Vosburg (inker), Mitch Schauer (creator) and Justin Yamaguchi and Michael Lessa (color) at the Borders in Glendale CA last Friday. Those eyeball cupcakes look good. See many more photos (including adorable costumed kids) in this Facebook album. The final stop of the Rip M.D. Southern California mini-tour is this Saturday at 3 PM at the Long Beach Comic Con!

Text, image, and Flarf

mike

Our warehouse manager and poet-in-residence Nico Vassilakis would like to share this recent blog post by Matt Madden examining seemingly (or actually) incongruous juxtapositions of text and image in comics, using the work of Chris Ware, Ben Katchor, and, of primary interest to Nico, practitioner/progenitor of the Flarf school of poetry Gary Sullivan (seen above) as examples. Thought-provoking stuff!

A Happy Halloween Treat: Eye Candy!

LarryR

Visitors to the Charles Burns appearance this Saturday evening at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery are in for a treat. Eye candy! While supplies last, we'll have free copies of Stéphane Blanquet's fabulous full color TOYS IN THE BASEMENT mini-comic, which includes a 2-page preview of THE LITTLEST PIRATE KING by David B. For indie music buffs we have a limited quantity of the scary 5-song "Haunted Fang Castle" CD by the sensational Spits, including an illustrated booklet by J. J. Rudisill. And our friends from Frontier Records dropped by with a stack of cool full-color vinyl stickers by Jaime Hernandez commemorating 30 years of pleasurable punk rock. [Hit the Frontier link above for a better look at Jaime's illustration – Ed.]

If that's not enough, with each purchase we'll be giving away free copies of Richard Sala's EVIL EYE comic book. All this and Charles Burns! A Halloween to remember.

Walking Dead posters by Johnny Ryan, Jon Vermilyea, Jordan Crane & Lisa Hanawalt

mike

Designed by Jordan. Artwork by (top to bottom) Jordan, Johnny, Jon and Lisa. Signed by the artists and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. Available online here and at Secret Headquarters in L.A. starting tomorrow. Info via Johnny's blog.

Tony Millionaire('s Elvis Costello album art) on The Colbert Report

mike

Elvis Costello's new album National Ransom, featuring cover art by Tony Millionaire, is currently streaming for a limited time on the Colbert Nation website, which means that Tony's artwork appeared on the closing segment of Tuesday's episode of The Colbert Report! (Thanks to Jacob for the screen grab.) Hey Stephen, get Tony on your show — you won't be sorry! Here's a better look at the cover art:

A Halloween Treat! Charles Burns at Fantagraphics Bookstore this Saturday.

LarryR

You don't want to miss this: Charles Burns returns to his native Seattle this Saturday, October 30 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for a festive reception commemorating the publication of his amazing new graphic novel X'ed Out.

In addition to an exhibition of rare posters and prints spanning Burns' illustrious career, we'll be celebrating the artist's lasting Seattle legacy with a display of his seminal work for Sub Pop records, as well as his early contributions to Art Spiegelman's RAW magazine.

Start your Saturday night at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery to welcome Charles Burns back home. The evening features a brief slide talk, ambient screening of Burns' scary animated movie "Fear(s) of the Dark," spooky tunes by DJ Russ Fallout, complimentary beverages, and collectible Halloween comix treats. Costumes optional. All ages. Free! 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Georgetown. Phone 206.658.0110.

Ivan Brunetti's New Yorker Halloween party

mike

Ivan Brunetti's cover for this year's Halloween issue of The New Yorker, brought to us by The Ephemerist as usual (via Forbidden Planet International). So many great details.